And so to the McIntosh Arena on Whitcombe Road in Meir, Stoke on Trent, for Foley Meir's first ever North West Counties Division One South home league game against Ashville FC.
Foley Football Club was founded in 1947 by a group of friends and ex-servicemen from the now forgotten Foley district of East Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent.
A replica of Arsenal's strip was purchased from the late Les Evans, later club
president, who had a shop in King Street, Longton and the club, based next to
the Foley Arms, playing at 'The Open Holes', joined Longton League Division 2.
Foley moved to their current ground on Whitcombe Road in Meir in 1982.
In 1996 the club joined
Midland League Division Two, winning the league at the first attempt. In 2005,
following the Midland League's merger with the Staffordshire County League, the
club became a founder member of the Staffordshire County Senior League.
The Foley changed name to Foley Meir - the former Midland Combination Meir KA (Kings Arms) becoming defunct in 2010. The team won the championship in 2020/21, and placed fourth last season, earning promotion to the North West Counties Football League Division One South. Three away fixtures have produced an opening day 2-1 victory at Cheadle Heath Nomads, a 7-1 drubbing in the local derby with Abbey Hulton and a 3-1 defeat to Sandbach.
Ashville
FC was founded in 1949 by D-Day veteran John Dennett and his wife Joyce at 25
Ashville Road, Wallasey, initially entering the Wallasey Youth League and then
joining the Bebington League in 1951. After winning the Bebington League,
Ashville moved to the Wirral Combination, winning the league in all three
seasons they competed in it.
In 1955 'Ville was voted into the West Cheshire League, winning Division Two in their inaugural season and after promotion to Division One relocated from Wallacre Park to Villa Park on Cross Lane in 1962. Champions in 1968 and 2012, with a couple of relegations en route, quickly rectified, the club finished runners up last term and was admitted to the North West Counties Division One South for the new campaign.
After the 4-0 home rout of Abbey Hey witnessed on the opening day, two away draws and a 5-2 home massacre of Barnton, 'Ville lost 2-1 at home to Maine Road last weekend.
Beyond Perfect Shutters and then The Vegetarian Society -
appropriately registration plate V3DJY appearing opposite - and another
glorious colourful floral display at Denzell Gardens. A car displaying
the Cornwall flag, more registration plates 1 LET and SIILYS, and a dogwalking
business Tours 4Paws leads me to the M6. Motorway graffiti from The Pies has
now been replaced by Mass Formation Psychosis...
Past lorry skirts advertising Blue Lagoon Spas, Orange County CBD and 'Are You Pregnant ?', it's off at Junction 16 onto the A500, eschewing the Bet365 stadium, and through Talke, past the Pepper Mill, Olympus Engineering, Diamond Freight and the Tam O'Shanter Inn. Then the A50 brings me to Meir and left onto the A520, Dougie Mac's, Chilli Jacks, a quirky corner shop, signs for Foxfield Steam Railway and roadworks just before Whitcombe Road.
The ground is on a private road, the pitch chiselled out of a hollow in a gorgeous setting, tree lined, with views of the Dresden suburb in the distance. There is ample parking for a crowd of 63, with at least 20 from the Wirral. £5 in, which includes a programme - shame about the date.....
The near side hosts a bar, cafe and the changing rooms whilst
the bijou stand has been extended from a 24 seater to a Heinz - 57 seats.
Steeply banked sides mean the top end and opposite are cordoned off - despite a
cameo dreadful performance behind the goal by an Ashville pensioner....
Unlike FC St Helens, where the floodlights were a work in progress (2 up, 4 with bases installed), there is no evidence of lighting work in the ground. Which makes the derby with Stafford Town on Tuesday 4 October at 8pm rather optimistic.....
A lush pitch, glorious sunshine, which clouds over, sees Foley
in red and black with yellow trim, Ashville in grey and black quarters, white
backs and red shorts and socks. A young, lean referee is assisted by two very
rotund linesmen.....
Seven minutes in the ball is cut back for Ashville's Liam Davies to smash into the top corner and the visitors lead. Thereafter the Foley are wasteful with Saki Ahmadi shooting well over twice, Mark Grice forcing a tremendous save from 'Ville's Michael Dixon, when he should have scored, and Dan Counter getting his header all wrong from a corner.
On the counter Ashville conjure up a glorious opportunity on 34 minutes - Sam Hunt's chip over the keeper leaves the ball on a plate for Tommy Johnstone to double the advantage, and the away side lead 2-0 at the break.
The second period is largely coma inducing - the Foley lacking urgency, invention and accuracy, and 'Ville content to sit on their two goal lead. It's game over on 69 minutes when Meir's Sam di Marco is shown a straight red for a professional foul just outside the box.
Matters are wrapped up six minutes before the end, when with both sides screaming for a free kick, a long ball is played through for Johnstone to square and sub Ben Greenop makes it three and that's how it finishes.
